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Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when the body breaks down fats too quickly.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs in people with diabetes when the body does not make or receive enough insulin.

In this article, learn about the causes and symptoms of DKA as well as the risk factors and treatment options.

What is diabetic ketoacidosis?

DKA occurs when a person's body produces high levels of ketones.

DKA is a potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when the body begins to break down fats for energy instead of sugars.

In people without diabetes, insulin helps sugar enter the cells, which use it for fuel. A person with diabetes does not make enough insulin to properly transport the sugar, which means that their body cannot use it for energy.

Without enough sugar, the liver turns some of the fat in the body into acids called ketones. Ketones build up in the bloodstream and spill over into the urine. When these excess ketones get into the blood, the blood becomes acidic, causing DKA.

DKA is a medical emergency. Anyone living with diabetes needs to learn the signs and symptoms of DKA to know when to seek urgent medical treatment.

DKA in type 1 vs. type 2 diabetes

DKA is much more likely to occur in people with type 1 diabetes, but anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can develop it. Those who need to take insulin have a more severe form of diabetes and, therefore, will have a higher risk of DKA.

People with type 1 diabetes or those who frequently miss insulin doses have the highest risk of developing DKA. Some diabetes medications may increase the risk of DKA even when the blood sugar is not high.

Treatment

When treating diabetic ketoacidosis, doctors aim to normalize blood sugar levels. They may prescribe the following treatments:

intravenous (IV) fluid replacements

IV insulin drip until blood sugar levels drop to within an acceptable range

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